Utility Customers Can Save Money and Energy While Helping Operation Fuel

From Competitive Resources Inc.

Competitive Resources Inc. (CRI) of Wallingford will donate $25 to Operation Fuel each time a customer of Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P) or The United Illuminating Company (UI) has a home energy assessment done by CRI on behalf of the statewide energy assistance program. The energy assessment is part of Energize Connecticut’s Home Energy Solutions℠ (HES) program, which helps to reduce home energy bills.

Operation Fuel is a private, nonprofit program that provides emergency energy assistance through its statewide network of fuel banks to lower-income working families, the elderly and disabled individuals who are in financial crisis and not eligible for energy assistance from government-funded programs. This is Connecticut’s only statewide, year-round emergency energy assistance program. The West Hartford Fuel Bank is one of Operation Fuel's fuel banks.

“Electricity and heat are basic necessities, yet nearly 300,000 Connecticut households can’t afford to pay their energy bills,” Operation Fuel’s Executive Director Patricia Wrice said in a press release. “When a home is without electricity or heat, it is unhealthy and unsafe for the people who live there. Many of the households that we help have either children under the age of 18, an elderly person or someone with a chronic illness or disability,”

The HES program provides homeowners and renters with services and installed products that will help make homes more energy efficient and lower their energy bills. During the home energy assessment, CRI’s certified technicians will make energy saving improvements that include identifying and sealing air leaks and drafts, installing energy efficient light bulbs and water-saving devices, and analyzing appliances and insulation.

CRI, a utility-authorized contractor, will donate $25 for every HES energy assessment that it completes on behalf of Operation Fuel. During 2013, CRI donated $1,250 to Operation Fuel.

The HES energy assessment has a small co-pay. CL&P and UI customers can schedule an appointment by calling 888-403-3500 or by going to http://www.criprograms.com/operationfuel/ CL&P and UI must approve all applications and the offer is subject to the availability of funding. Utility customers should have their account number available and mention Operation Fuel when calling to schedule an energy assessment.

About Energize Connecticut: Energize Connecticut helps you save money and use clean energy. It is an initiative of the Energy Efficiency Fund, the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority, the State, and your local electric and gas utilities, with funding from a charge on customer energy bills.  Information on energy efficiency programs can be found at EnergizeCT.com or by calling 1.877.WISE.USE.